Gospel great Bobby Jones adds his voice to an awareness campaign
to help people avoid amputation from Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)

Dr. Bobby Jones

“Peripheral artery disease is a really serious disease that doesn’t get enough attention,” said Dr. Bobby Jones, host of Bobby Jones Gospel on BET for 35 years, the channel’s longest running series. “I have it, and I didn’t initially know it, and it almost cost me my legs.”

He describes walking through the airport and being unable to make it all the way to the gate without having to stop for a break because of the pain he had while walking.

Dr. Jones knew he had a family history of serious circulation problems. Several family members had undergone foot or leg amputations. He believed that would eventually be his fate.

When the pain and symptoms started to affect his life and his ministry, he started looking for different answers. He was eventually referred to a doctor who could treat him. That doctor performed a minimally invasive procedure called an atherectomy to reduce and remove plaque that had built up in the arteries of Dr. Jones’ legs.

“I’m grateful every day that I learned about it and found a doctor who gave me treatment options other than amputation,” Dr. Jones said.

Today, he’s able to perform on stage – and dance as the spirit leads him – as he continues his ministry, shining a light on rising Gospel performers and bringing them to the attention of audiences around the world through his television show on the Impact Network, a digital streaming channel.

“Don’t assume that pain in your legs is just a sign of getting old. It can be something more serious,” Dr. Jones said. “You need to see a doctor and get screened for PAD. And if someone says you need an amputation, get a second opinion.”

PAD is more common than many realize:

• 1 in 20 Americans over the age of 50 has PAD.8
• 1 in 3 people with diabetes over the age of 50 likely has PAD.40
• That means as many as 29,000 people in the Nashville metro area could be affected by PAD.8,44

Some PAD facts:

• Peripheral artery disease is the narrowing and hardening of the arteries in the legs and feet, which limits blood flow.
• Left untreated, PAD can lead to amputation.
• PAD patients have more than 6 times the risk of death from coronary heart disease as those without PAD.27
• Smoking, the single greatest risk factor, increases the chance of developing PAD three to five times. But other common risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, kidney disease and heart disease.13,19,28,37

Symptoms of PAD:

While often overlooked, many people think symptoms of PAD are just symptoms of aging, those suffering from the disease may allow it to progress to a more severe state before it is diagnosed. The most common symptoms are:

• Leg pain that occurs when walking or exercising and disappears when the activity stops
• Leg muscle tiredness, heaviness, or cramping
• Leg and/or foot pain that disturbs sleep
• One leg/foot feels cooler than the other
• Toes or feet that look pale, discolored or blue
• Thick or yellow toenails that aren’t growing
• Sores/wounds on toes, feet, or legs that heal slowly, or not at all (more associated with Critical Limb Ischemia, the most advanced form of PAD)

Talk to Your Doctor

Only a health care professional can diagnose you with PAD.Our Symptom Quiz can help guide the
conversation about your treatment options.

Take the Symptom Quiz

Click below to take the interactive Symptom Quiz. You can print your answers out and take them with you to a doctor to help guide your conversation about PAD.